Spruce Up Vintage Kitchen With Charm

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The large kitchen island allows many people to be working at the same time.

The large kitchen island allows many people to be working at the same time.

This kitchen had an outdated floor plan that required tons of steps to do a simple task.

What was the homeowners’ solution? Some light remodeling, new cabinets and appliances to create the kitchen of their dreams.

The focal point of the kitchen is the Aga oven. It has four ovens in one unit that stay on all the time with a thermostat in each oven that stays on a desired temperature. One oven is set for roasting, another for baking, one for simmering soups or sauces, and another for keeping food warm.

Aga ovens have been available in England since the 1920s and are now becoming popular in American kitchens. Even though they're on all the time, they don't heat up the room and use less energy than a traditional 30-inch oven. The cooktop is equipped with two plates: one for boiling and another for simmering. They also stay on all the time. As a safety precaution, both can be covered with lids when not in use.

A great addition to their kitchen is the large butcher-block island, which is like one huge cutting board. Since the couple are both in the medical professional, they wanted an extra sanitary sink like the ones they use in the hospital. They have what's called a Tapmaster: It's a device that converts any faucet into a hands-free tap with a button located in the toekick of the cabinet that turns the sink on.

Shelves were also installed on the opposite side of the kitchen island, making a great place to store cookbooks.

Another plus in their kitchen is the Carrara marble baking center flanked by two cabinets. Work stations like this allow cooks to focus on specific tasks without running all over the kitchen.